We challenge YOU!

This summer has been very busy and different in many ways. It has been our first summer without our motorcycle but we do not regret the change to the Hot Rod & Racing scene at all. We have been well welcomed at the different places we have attended this first summer as Ambassadors For Jesus Christ Hot Rod & Racing Team and we are looking forward for the future and it is always exciting to see what God has in store for us. One thing is sure and that is that good things are ahead as we serve a good God.

Since I wrote last time we have been on the road again but we have also had some family time. August 16th the Ambassadors For Jesus Christ motorcycle ministry organized the first Biker Church in the church of Laihia ever and it was a very successful day. Even if there are not that many members in the ministry in Finland today we have gained respect amongst the people and as it looks right now the Biker Church in Laihia will be held next summer again. I had the honor to share some words as well as play together with my old friend John J. Kulju again. He has been by my side a couple of times now this summer and it feels good to still work with him after all these years. We started our first band together at the age of 12 and we are till playing together 30 years later. This is a friendship that I highly value. You can see a program from the Biker Church in Laihia made in Finnish by clicking HERE.

August 21st me and my wife Hannele had our 22nd anniversary and last week we went together with two of our daughters, Jessica and Jeanette on a combined ministry and family trip to Sweden. We left home, Wednesday August 26th and took the ferry to Stockholm, Sweden. From there we drove to Jönköping where we stayed for one night. The girls were at the hotel while I took the love of my life out on a date. This is something we not do often but I hope that we will do it more often in the future as well as that Hannele will join us on the road more often in the future. I feel good having her by my side.

From Jönköping we drove to Hillerstorp, Sweden. A small community south of Jönköping. We stayed in a wild west town, amusement park and Friday night we had a concert in a tent in the harbor of Hillerstorp. Again I had the honor to have the band from Gothenburg with me and we had a great time. Everybody in the band brought their loved ones with them so this was some kind of retreat at the same time. On Saturday we had a short concert in the afternoon and at night I preached and we played some more. We returned back home on Monday and I thank God for the days spent with my loved ones on the road. Me and my wife were just talking about things and we happened to go over my schedule and she did not understand that anyone wants to travel as much as I do. Well, I love what I do and to tell people about Jesus is the best thing you can do. I have received so much from the Lord so I want to give it further to as many people I can while I am still alive. In February it becomes nine years since Jesus visited me on my death bed and these nine years are all only years by grace and years in a second chance.

I mentioned that I have been traveling a lot and yes, I admit that I do travel a lot but someone has to go to these places with the good news. I am also blessed to have my wife as ministry partner as she is with me and in the midst of the work even if she is at home. She knows my heart and she also knows my personality and that I need to travel. To this date we have had 244 days on this year and 143 of these days have been event- or travel dates. If I did this as in the old days and charger for every ”gig” I would most likely be financially ok but today my motives are different. It is all about Jesus and walking through the doors that He has opened. Sometimes we need to break new ground as well and sometimes just serve with others. The combination with partners right now is perfect as there is a huge spiritual blessing being under the covering of Fountain of Life Church in Okeechobee, Florida as well as work with men of God as Pastor Tommy Lilja, Pastor Jukka Mäkikangas and my support group in Kvevlax.

While our ministry is growing bigger I am growing smaller. For many years I have been struggling with overweight and after I was delivered from drugs and alcohol I gained lots of weight. I went up from 95kg to 140kg and managed to get down to around 120kg for some years. After Jesus all of a sudden delivered me from smoking last summer I gained weight again and earlier this summer I had gained lots of weight again as I was 135kg. Now I have been on a heavy diet for the last part of the summer and I am down in 123kg. I know myself and I have made up my mind as I want to take better care of myself. I want to be able to move more again and able to do things I have not been able to do because of my overweight. September 23rd I am having my gastric bypass done and I am excited. I know what it means and I am motivated to change my habits and start a new era of my life. Sometimes people feel like they become losers when they have to do a surgery like this but I do not see it that way. I see it as an opportunity and help to be able to loose weight and live a much healthier life for the rest of my life. I am not giving up, I will be slim and I pray I will be able to stand up and do full rock concerts for Jesus within the next years. I am already excited about starting to work out more. Life is a process and I know this is the right decision as I have prayed, talked to my spiritual mentors as well as my doctors about it.

I will have a couple of weeks off after the surgery but it is important that I am up on my feet the day after the surgery. I will stay at home for a couple of weeks before we hit the road again. I am thankful for the hospital in Vasa that understood my situation and could give me a time that is not too close to our next trip to USA. Me and Sebastian are leaving Finland, October 27th and we are returning December 4th. Between those dates we are going to spread the good news in Florida and Texas and some of the highlights are the Lone Star Rally in Galveston, Texas for the seventh year in a row and something new is the Daytona Turkey Run during Thanksgiving weekend. All dates will be in the calendar.

Before the surgery I do another trip to Zambia with Pastor Tommy Lilja and that trip is already next week. It is a long journey and it will be some hectic days as usual on his crusades but it is always awesome and faith raising to see what Jesus is doing in the third world. After the surgery we have some dates in Finland and Sweden but first a Gospel Truckers night in Naantali, Finland this coming weekend. The rest of the year is fully booked and I thank God for every opportunity we have to go out and proclaim Jesus as Lord and Savior.

Now we are facing the truth and as most of the time we are short of finances as I do hate to talk about money or charge for going out there to reach the lost. I now challenge YOU to be partner with us and our goal is to get 100 monthly partners to start with that could donate 25 US dollars. With that amount we would have a small platform to stand on. We also have different projects as the DVD, CD and RACE CAR coming up and for all these projects we are having separate fundraisers. Check the right navigation bar to read more about these projects. Soon we will also be able to receive donations in Sweden as PJB Ministries is stepping under the umbrella of Mission Göteborg in Sweden in the near future. All details will be posted as soon as we get them.

Remember that the biggest support YOU can give us is YOUR time in prayer. Stand in agreement with us when we go out on the highways and byways. Prayers sure work as God is good!

Love you all!